‘You know,’ I said, ‘that it won’t all be easy going from here on. Trouble will keep finding us. Puzzles and traps and enemies, uncanny problems and worldly ones too. It’s the nature of things. We’ll always have battles to fight. We’ll always need to take risks and put ourselves in danger. Someone asked me if I wanted the hermit’s path or the warrior’s path. I think ours is the warrior’s path. Even though we seem to be . . . settling down.’

‘I’ll go on any path you want,’ Grim said. ‘Might give you a push sometimes, keep you walking straight. But whatever happens, I’ll be right there beside you. Rain or shine. Shadows or light. Step for step. Always.’

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

The seed idea for Den of Wolves was a traditional tale from western Scotland, Big MacVurich and the Monster. I first came across the story in the small book that accompanied a wonderful set of divination cards, the Celtic Tree Oracle, by Liz and Colin Murray (St Martin’s Press, 1988.) The tale captured my imagination from the first. The Murrays’ source was Alexander Carmichael’s collection, Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations, a scholarly and comprehensive collection of lore from the Highlands and islands of Scotland. A one volume English edition of Carmina Gadelica was published by Floris Books in 1992. The tale told by the druid Oisin in Den of Wolves is my own version, and the only one to use the term heartwood house. In the best storytelling tradition, it takes the bones of the existing versions and adds new flesh.

My thanks go to everyone who helped bring this book to fruition. The editorial staff at Pan Macmillan Australia and Penguin Random House US provided their usual blend of support, professionalism and flexibility. A big thank you to Claire Craig, Brianne Tunnicliffe and Rebecca Hamilton in Sydney, and to Anne Sowards and Rebecca Brewer in New York. A small crew of trusted family and friends helped me with brainstorming and beta reading. Heartfelt thanks to Elly, Godric, Tamara and Gaye for their bright ideas, their honest and perceptive feedback and for their precious time.

Thank you to my agent, Russell Galen, for his calm and reasoned advice and his astute decisions.

Lastly, thank you, readers, for loving Blackthorn and Grim as much as I do, and for allowing me to continue doing what I most enjoy: sharing stories with you, helping you over rough patches, keeping you entertained, taking you on a journey.

About Juliet Marillier

About Juliet Marillier

Juliet Marillier was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, a town with strong Scottish roots. She graduated from the University of Otago with degrees in arts and music, and has had a varied career which included teaching and performing music as well as working in government agencies.